US trains Polish special forces in drone warfare exercise shaped by Ukraine war

On a dark, rainy night in the Bavarian countryside, Polish special forces slipped out of a building designed to resemble a church and moved quietly toward the tree line. They were taking part in a new, drone-centric training exercise created by US Army Green Berets, designed to simulate the challenges Ukrainian troops have faced in their war with Russia.

The exercise, which began on Friday at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, is the first time a NATO ally has undertaken this specific training. It comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and NATO, and reflects a broader push within the US military to incorporate the latest drone warfare techniques pioneered by Ukraine.

"We're using lessons learned from Ukraine," a Green Beret officer said. "All of those effects that we're seeing either Russia or Ukraine having to overcome — we're doing our best to replicate."

The scenario spans several days across a vast 1,100-square-mile training area. Polish forces must evade a US Army airborne infantry unit playing the enemy, then travel roughly 60 miles north through German farmland, villages, and the city of Amberg to a second training area in Grafenwoehr, where they are expected to destroy a simulated target.

To avoid detection, the Polish troops are instructed to remove their military attire and blend in as civilians. German civilians in the area are largely unaware of the exercise, providing a realistic test of the soldiers' ability to move unnoticed. If they are spotted, reports to police could be used by the US Army to track them down.

"This is supposed to be Russia and you're going to stand out in Russia," one senior enlisted soldier said. The US Army will also use its own drones to hunt for the Polish forces, and in previous versions of the exercise, had access to more than a hundred drones. Troops can be "captured or killed" during the training.

The drill is expected to be run several times a year, and US officials anticipate that most, if not all, of the 32 NATO nations will express interest in participating. The training comes as the Trump administration has signaled possible troop drawdowns in Europe, even as concerns grow over Russian sabotage and cyberattacks against NATO countries.

Meanwhile, interest in Ukraine's expertise on modern warfare is growing. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said his country is helping several nations counter drone attacks, and the number of mysterious drone incursions in Europe has increased, including recent sightings over a German military base and a cargo airport.